India Wants Sri Lanka To Accept TNA As Interlocutor

With Sri Lanka’s human rights record coming up for review towards the end of the year, India believes that Colombo should accept the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) as a credible interlocutor and get down to discussing a road map for political devolution of powers as this will send a positive signal world-wide to groups instrumental in arraigning it before the United Nations Human Rights Council in March this year, the Hindu reports.

During talks with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday — the first in over two years — it is understood that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reiterated that the sooner the Sri Lankan government finalises a road map with the TNA, the better it would be for all sides. India concedes that Colombo has engaged in serious dialogue with the TNA but feels that the time has come to convert it into a programme of action.

13 Responses to India Wants Sri Lanka To Accept TNA As Interlocutor

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Not satisfied with merely having trained and funded the LTTE, India continues to intolerably interfere in the sovereign affairs of Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa should tell Singh to withdraw the Indian army from Jammu and Kashmir because the local Muslims object to the presence of an occupying army and see how he likes being lectured.
Two words for Delhi: BUTT OUT!
TNA=LTTE light. The Tamils need to find a non threatening moderate to find rapproachment with the Rajapaksas.

When pressed by the Indian side President Rajapakse was high on assurances and low on delivery about seriousness to satisfy “his Tamil people” the man smiles and says “I have now left to the PSC” – a trickery with which he succeeds to feel his Southern electorate.
The Indians are wiser. Succumbing to earlier pressure he set up meetings with the TNA and a group of his own chosen senior ministers. This went on for months and due Minutes were maintained. The moment matters were progressing to some level MR used Sajin Vaas to say unless TNA nminate their men to the PSA the talks are called off. The Minutes are clear no pre-conditions will be laid during the talks but the President destroyed these talks – a continous scenario from 1956. If he thinks he has fooled the Delhiwalahs, he has another “think” coming. Delhi is satisfied what Blake and the Yankees confirmed –
“the Rajapakses cannot be relied upon”. Not a good reputation even for the tainted Rajapakses.
Senguttuvan

Sri Lanka is an Indian colony and has to listen to the new colonial master.
On the other hand, this neo-colonial Indian master will not be different from the Old British, Dutch or Portugeuse colonial masters.

The sooner the Rajapakse clique yield to the inevitable – allowing a free election for the bifurcated Northern Province – the better. This can be delayed as it has been for years now – but cannot be denied.
When the Indians brought up the subject of insufficient space for the Tamils in the NEP to run their affairs, in MR’s recent Delhi visit, Rajapakse came up with the stale assurance his PSC plan is just for this. The Indians must be in stitches at this mendacity that can only fool the ordinary Sinhalese. Sampanthan and the TNA are insistent they have no objection to serving in the PSC but say first the Rajapakses must show proof of good intent in talks so far. This is simply not there. Many think the next round in the Geneva HRC will make the Rajapakses wiser.
Senguttuvan

Senguttuvan, are you serious that the Rajapaksas will have difficulty at the next round of sessions in Geneva of the HRC? Judging from the current events and attitudes of the US and the Indians, I seriously doubt it. MR will have an easy passage.

If India wants TNA as the Interlocutor, then why on earth they try to scuttle, by allowing MR to defraud elections to prevent TNA from securing what is due to them as votes. When will this Drama come to an end?

Dear Gamini,
MR knows the ropes. He knows the Americans are pretty tired of his
legacy of deception – Indians no less. By the time Geneve comes he will yield and possibly agree to a time-frame for the PC Elections in the North.
He fears to allow free elections in the North because of the fact the TNA got over 80% of the votes in the EP recently despite the full weight of intimidation, pressure, threats/warnings, cheating etc.
A TNA win will negate the impression he tries to create in Delhi, London and Washington Tamils are with him. Devananda, the debaucherous Karuna and Pillaiyan have lost their integrity to represent the Tamils. They only sanitize and represent the Rajapakses. His bigger fear is that a comfortable win by the TNA will strengthen TGTE claims and the possibility of Separation – both of which are delusions. Tamils will be happy to work within an undivided Island so long as their right to run their PC in the North is not further denied. More importantly, it is vital the Centre provides the necessary funds for the running of the NPC. Remember the hoax of JRJ in 1987? That won’t work – even if the Rajapakse-Weerawansa-JHU cabal falls back on this failed trickery.
Senguttuvan

Senguttuvan, it is not a case that MR knows the ropes, he is given the rope by the Americans and the Indians. He is working to their agenda. As for MR’s intelligence and ability, he is absolutely below mediocre. If not for the support extended by the Americans and Indians, MR would have been history long time ago. The Americans and the Indians know the ground situation here better than most and they will not push MR for a speady implementation of the LLRC nor for an Election to the North. The very fact that Robert Blake spoke on these, is an indication what their real intentions are. These utterences are merely to mislead the masses here and the Tamil Diaspora out side to hide their involvement.

It is thought provoking interview and some meaningful questions have been asked.
What India and other interlocutors like Norway do not take into account is that how right of self-determination of their people have set the foundation for growth of their nation at the early stages. When Nehru called for federal states, he resisted states devolved as linguistic states. But it was the decency of the Indian intellect force of reason that drew the parallel from USSR and established linguistic state that became the strength of Indian Federation. (we lack such force of reason in Lanka) Because of the establishment of linguistic state, even with unitary character of India, did not moot the idea of separatism. For those petty minded intellects who brought forward the argument of size, the British colonial officer in 1930s compared with Switzerland and concluded that the size of the country did not matter.
From the yester years of colonial Britain, Tamils had been naturally supporting for mutual interest, at some instances even spearheading the Sinhala polity without any written agreements for independence of Ceylon. Ironically, Sinhala polity had betrayed their trust when they reneged post-independence agreements. However, after GG Ponnambalam crossed over for ministerial privileges, Federal Party took over the mantle for federalism. If GG had taken up federalism at the time 50:50 for minority: majority split, even if British may not have accepted and Ceylonese may have accepted but today federal solution is frowned upon by Sinhala Chauvinists. Even those who are not chauvinists will become chauvinists for not accepting an asymmetrical federal arrangement for the Tamils, Muslims, plantation Tamils and others.
A decent and humble leader like late SJV who was acceptable to UNP or SLFP but not to state that has been gradually taken over by extreme Sinhala Buddhist elements. Dudley Senanayake even participated in Federal party conference in 1960s when FP was in their government but even with all that enthusiasm of the UNP, the Prime Minister was resisted. The state even could not agree to UNP’s much diluted version regional council offered by SWRD Badaranayake – The Distract council. Dudley even offered to resign due to difficulties he faced but it was stopped by ever generous SJV.
Since then there had been too much bloodletting. When there had been bloodletting, it has its own dynamism. For first time, there has been bloodshed in all sectors of Tamils. And all parts of Tamil Home land and beyond. What happened to upcountry Tamils and Tamils lived among Sinhalese in the South cannot be attributed to LTTE alone! More than quarter million people died or emigrated. Natural life of the Tamil people is limited to foreign remittance economy.
Frail R.Sampanthan is a firm pro-federalist than a separatist. He even purported to have boycotted Vadukoddai conference and was in disagreement with SJV on calling for separation of Tamil Eelam. If anyone cannot find an agreement with leader like Sampanthan, Sinhala polity will find no credible leader. Since President Premadasa, only leader who is capable of bringing all section of people under one slogan of compromise is current President Rajapakse.
Will he prove himself to be part of the solution or part of the problem?